


His impregnable masterpiece

by CaramelloSolitude



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Drama, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:14:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24730624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaramelloSolitude/pseuds/CaramelloSolitude
Summary: In everyday concerns, we do not always manage to see what the people around us really are. And in the pursuit of impossible dreams and missing time, we don't have time to understand what feelings arise inside. But she will become his best creation. A Muse, embodied in the guise of a once modest frenchwoman with a cold surname, but a passionate soul.
Relationships: Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur
Kudos: 21





	His impregnable masterpiece

There was a tense atmosphere in the Hawkmoth's lair. The brunette stood silently at a outlying distance behind, watching furtively the busy boss. This time he looked particularly tired, and Nathalie could surmise that things weren't going according to plan.  
She moved cautiously forward, her quiet assistant's presence indicated only by the rhythmic click of her small heels. At such moments, she wanted to snatch the victory with her own hands, along with the talismans that the soul of her beloved one so longed for, but was it worth to distract from business?  
As if nothing had happened, the lady stood next to him, continuing to listen to the dialogue between the Lady of Hearts and the Hawkmoth. Doubts crept into her mind. Where was Adrien, and was he all right if he was being chased by an angry girl?  
This time, the girl, who kept her feelings to herself, was responsible Marinette Dupain-Cheng, suffered from the destructive influence of akuma. And her restraint played into the hands of the main villain of Paris.  
The man let out a heavy sigh. There was the devoted Nathalie at his side, and he looked out at Paris through the huge window in front of him, where the city was visible.  
"We can only hope that this person will defeat the heroes, " he said to no one in particular. He thought for a moment of going back to the house to check on his son, but this move would have been too risky and might have given away the identity of the Hawkmoth. His gaze turned briefly to Nathalie, while the moth lord temporarily stopped tracking the situation. He didn't find it interesting to watch the two children fight, but at the last moment things took a rapid turn.  
"Lady of Hearts, don't let him go! Grab the talismans before he destroys your happiness!" he turned to akumatized Marinette, re-tracing the course of turbulent events. Chat Noir was under the spell, he was going to give the talisman and the solution to the problems of the Hawkmoth and the population of Paris was so close. How long had he waited for this? But…  
"What are you doing?!" hardly had man said, before he lose the connection with the subordinate girl completely. A great anger was building up inside him. What kind of villain in his right mind would refuse what he wanted? Why did the girl decide to free herself from the dark forces at the last moment? Perhaps there was a silver lining to her decision: for the rest of the day, Adrien remained untouched. Man thumped his cane hard on the floor and looked up from the flickering silver butterflies to the window.  
From what happened in the next few minutes, Sanсoeur's eyebrow twitched nervously, but unlike the boss, the assistant closed the storm of emotions in the depths of her soul and only fixed a burning cold gaze to the side.  
"I won't lose next time," he appealed firmly into the void and detransformed, allowing the view to be shuttered with thick, fancy shutters. Nooroo remained silent as usual, and as quietly hid himself.  
"How are the sketches going, Nathalie?" in fact, the question did not particularly require an answer and was rather asked in order not to snap at the employee for an unsuccessfully created villain. After all, he couldn't afford to be rude to her. Hands clasped behind his back, the man walked to the elevator, waiting for the assistant.  
"Children are unpredictable, Monsieur," she said, trying to remain as unemotional as ever. "Work in progress."  
The woman noticed every string of tension in Agreste's movements, in his tired face, and in his stride. How long will they both fail? Nathalie had a rough idea of what she should do next, but the brunette just went upstairs with him and said something completely different instead of answering.  
"Gabriel, you'll do much better next time. You are overworked, and it is a high time to rest, " Sancoeur said calmly, and left just as quickly for bring tea.  
"I'm sorry, but this isn't the time to rest, " he said softly, but he could hear it, knowing full well that Nathalie was gone and couldn't hear the words.  
The man sat down on the sofa and took off his glasses to finally cover his eyes for a while and let them rest at least. Perhaps Agreste was too tired.  
Brewing the fragrant leaves of Provence, Nathalie remembered the peacock miraculous, which lay quietly in its former place. The woman wanted to grab him and rush into battle before the heroes got too far away. She only wanted to see the older Agreste's smile more often, but clearly not to hear the cries of despair, which were much more painful than in book novels.  
When she returned, she left the hot tea on the coffee table and watched her boss sadly.  
"I sent the sketches to your mail, as you requested. It's a new autumn design with strict ruffles and notes of light hope." Nathalie's calmness, even if it was feigned, communicated itself to Gabriel. Well, it's not the first time they've lost, but this time they're a lot closer to winning. The soft clink of the cup on the table and Nathalie's calm voice were really the most soothing. Glancing at the tea, he looked up at the one who was so often near, and in her calmness he had unwittingly learned to distinguish such different emotions under the mask.  
"Well. We need to get an answer from the workshops about the new jewelry and whether they will be taken care of or need edits, " he said, and picked up the сup with his free hand, almost missing it. Still, there are disadvantages of poor vision, but with it, especially in the absence of glasses, you have to act less hastily and smoothly, so as not to break or spill anything.  
"Send a request and you're free for the day. Adrien will be busy all day, and I hope he will be smart enough not to be late anywhere," which was more of an encouragement to the woman. Agreste simply knew that she needed rest, even if it could be little. Closing his eyes, Gabriel sipped some tea, thinking about heroes, clothes, jewelry, and what else could be done.  
"You mentioned that in the plan you sent me, even if it was late at night. The request was made and a response was received from several jewelry workshops that you trust with the most skilful work. They undoubtedly agree to accept the order. The drawings and materials were described in the letter. Payment after inspection, as always. We have the necessary funds I also checked the availability of sample fabrics in stores by looking at your sketches. If there is a desire to finish the work started and implement it — I will order the necessary materials, " the blue-eyed lady always ran ahead, knowing the importance of planning and the frenzied pace of their work with Gabriel. After a monotonous report to her boss, Nathalie approached him cautiously and put her arms around his neck, knowing that this gesture was necessary for a disillusioned Hawkmoth.  
The blond man raised his head, looking at Nathalie's somewhat blurred silhouette, and sighed softly. It was so comforting, and it felt like it was really going to end and be all right again. But will it?  
"Thank you," he said softly, neither for the work he had done, nor for the light hug.  
The woman immediately responded to the blond man's remark, nodding briefly and gently so as not to break the fragile embrace.  
In fact, she would have liked that moment to last forever, but could a simple governess and a modest assistant dream of more? Nathalie smiled, trying to cheer up the person she loved more than someone. Judging by the reaction, Agreste felt a little better, that could not but rejoice.  
"The fabrics will wait. We need to look at the sketches and make the necessary edits, " Gabriel said, returning to work with his thoughts, putting his glasses back on his nose and looking at Nathalie from head to toe, or rather her clothes. Suddenly a new idea came to mind, but this time it was about a different outfit.  
"Come to my office in half an hour. I need a fresh look," Gabriel said before rising, holding cup in hand, stroking Nathalie's hand from elbow to wrist and lowering it away from him.  
Unsurprisingly, his eyes lit up with an idea again, even if the mournful and cold look was still there. The fleeting touch of Gabriel's hand made her blush, as if she'd been again in school by someone else's attention. What is the past? If all the years spent in the house of this wonderful family man — a minefield for her soul.  
She immediately changed her gaze, coldly examining the room's vase, so as not to collide with him. But at an unexpected moment, the man put his hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes, causing the assistant to freeze in place.  
"See when it's time for the photo shoot at Adrian's," he said, even if that wasn't what he really wanted to say.  
Letting go of the girl, Agreste straightened his tie and went to the touch-screen computer, picking up the pen he'd left on the table to draw what came to mind.  
"I'll do it," Sancoeur said matter-of-factly, hurrying out of the indefatigable artist's workspace. When she got out and firmly closed the door, Nathalie sighed heavily and smiled bitterly, thinking again that everything would be all right. They will have the talismans. And if not… Mayura will rip them out under her own haughty gaze and hard grin.  
The brunette grinned as she moved away from the door and looked at Adrien's schedule on her tablet. Six o'clock in the evening. Fencing practice, which was postponed to a later time. Sancoeur sent a reference to the pupil through messanger, so that in case of anything the guy did not forget.

***

The first sketches were ready in half an hour after the dialogue with Nathalie, but it turned out to be satisfactory only in the late afternoon. In general, the man again plunged into work, along the way with the help of Nathalie equalizing the details and taking in the direction of greater adequacy. No matter how, but people wear clothes and at first of all models. The remaining time spent up to the first and subsequent hours of the new day was fruitful and no less tedious.  
The original sketches of the famous designer attracted Nathalie's attention, but still some details were missing. The woman briefly thought that there was a strange similarity in the original shape between the sketches and her business suit. Sanker mentally realized that she was probably overworked.  
The assistant helped to correct the future design until the moment when Agreste asked to leave him alone with inspiration.  
The night passed no less violently than the evening. Agreste re-drew the sketches again and again, added and removed details, looked at the combinations of colors and fabrics, changed and returned the appearance of the things themselves, while creating spare sketches.  
The day passed without incident, but the governess noticed that Adrien's gait had changed a little. The brunette did not have time to ask the pupil, he asked not to be disturbed in a state of tension. This time the young man was not late anywhere, not that he often broke discipline, but there were rare cases. Sancoeur tried to avoid them.  
She was still awake, holding the cup of her favorite coffee firmly in her hand, and it would have been enough for a momentary blurring of consciousness to have dropped it. Nevertheless, the process of a short rest was successful. But the light was still on in the chief's office. The woman sighed as she headed there.  
Gabriel often stayed up late, sometimes until morning, but he asked everyone in the house not to forget about saving electricity, despite the impressive amount of income. Nathalie quietly opened the door and faintly passed into the abode of the lost, but very original moth.  
The boss's calm and friendly appearance touched her. In his sleep, he seemed softer and more emotional than anyone else had ever seen him. Not in front of everyone was he his true identity: a vulnerable man, tired of fighting for his innermost dreams. The lady smiled warmly, running her hand lightly over her soft cheek. Before leaving, she covered the chief with a warm blanket and extinguished the light with a deft touch of the remote control button.  
It was not difficult to fall asleep, let alone continue your new sketch, which was left lying at hand in an unprocessed form. On paper, she managed to draw a cocktail dress with an acceptable neckline and an equally interesting short cape.  
Her face showed more signs of fatigue when she was asleep than when she was awake, where you always tried to be on top of things.

***

Gabriel met the morning asleep at his desk, next to an empty mug and with the relaxed expression on his face. The most difficult thing in the morning was to open eyes and sit up straight. Gabriel adjusted the bedspread over his shoulder, not immediately realizing it was there. In any case, it was necessary to finish the job first.  
Glancing at his watch, the man adjusted his glasses and hair, put a few details on the almost finished sketch, and transferred it to an electronic view. Well, it was easier now.  
"Nathalie, go through the draft versions and send three of them to the Studio for evaluation," a cool, calm voice said over the house's intercom. And now Gabriel could definitely give himself fifteen or twenty minutes in person. This should have been enough to make it look decent.  
The lady was awakened by the monotonous voice of the chief, which sounded far away, as if outside the real world. As soon as the connection was disconnected, Nathalie involuntarily responded with a loud and agonizing moan, signaling that there should be more sleep in this life than there really is.  
The woman was in a dream world for a few minutes, but then she jerked awake with a start.  
"My God! What did he say? Didn't I listen? What time is it?" She quickly looked at the alarm clock and immediately calmed down. Twelve hours. It could have been worse. Adrien was supposed to be at school, and he wasn't in the room. Next time, it could be better to wake up earlier. And why didn't Sancoeur hear the repeated reminders of early morning?  
She had a short period of time to clean up, go to the shower, and of course complete the task of the chief.  
The sweet smell of cinnamon latte wafted through the workplace of Gabriel Agreste's assistant, and the sound of typing came from the computer, because the answers to emails also required attention.  
The activity was progressing, but the brunette herself, masking the terrible circles under her eyes, felt like a perfectly squeezed lemon, despite the fact that she did not use harmful substances.  
Again a small sip of coffee, which gave strength and thoughts about the constant flow of life, not including the moments when she had to become Mayura to please the already upset boss.  
Otherwise, there were no other gaps. Sketches, screenings, the changing seasons, Adrien's friends, his schedule, and again the distance between her and Gabriel, embodied in an invisible and insurmountable wall.  
When she finished typing, Nathalie put her head in her hands and squeezed her eyes shut, holding back her strong emotions.  
The man, having cleaned himself up, went first of all down to the dining room, then to the kitchen, where he prepared a hasty Breakfast, even if he did not have to do it. In the end, he paid money to those who should keep the house in perfect condition and work like clockwork. And this again led to the reduction of staff as unnecessary. Still, irritated by this, Gabriel couldn't just ignore it.  
Sancoeur was the first who learned about the reduction, of course. If remove the strange fact that the boss did not make a single claim, the woman felt rolled up under the skirting board (even if it did not show the state). Gabriel Agreste was too important in her life to upset his in any way.  
The brunette sighed heavily, and while the ex-employees collected things, for a long time scrolled the thought in her head that she did not follow up and did not cope. Then why didn't Agreste say anything? Perhaps he thought that they were both out of their teens and that the fact that today the great creator was preparing breakfast with his own hands and refused of guilty's help was enough.  
The lack of censure weighed on the woman even more. It also had to work in this state, fortunately, viewing the responses from the workshop helped to distract her a little, even if she was not completely able to remove the anxiety and unpleasant sediment.  
One of the versions of the sketch was accepted and a positive verdict was received, which Nathalie managed to report to her boss by mail. Then several more reports followed from her at the current time.  
Then everything was much calmer and from that ordinary and fast. Gabriel looked sent in the past day message and considered the submitted edits and comments agreed on the issue of limited production runs, the work of the Atelier, and delivery dates taking into account possible corrections and edits of the final costume.  
And finally there was time again for something more than just waiting for answers.  
"Nathalie, come into my office," he said over the intercom, then finally got up from his desk and allowed himself to stretch his stiff shoulders and back. And he had to decide whether to send Akuma flying or look for inspiration in the drapery. So far, Agreste senior was leaning toward the latter.  
No sooner had the blue-eyed lady started finalizing her own sketches, than Gabriel contacted her. Following the instructions, the assistant went to the boss, anticipating along the way what their dialogue would be. She did not notice at all, because of her drowsiness, that her hair had somehow managed to unravel at an unnecessary moment.  
"Yes, Monsieur?" the employee came quickly and it was more than pleasant for Gabriel. Although the new hairstyle, or rather the way it was disheveled, was somewhat unusual.  
"Come to me. Where's your hairpin?" Gabriel asked, and without waiting for an answer, he took a pencil from the organizer, walked around the assistant and gathered her hair into a shell, fixing it with a pencil that was immediately hidden among her hair.  
"That's better, " he said with satisfaction, and took a step back so that he wouldn't stand so close.  
"Take off your jacket, please. I need to get a better look at your figure, " the man said seriously, eyeing his assistant carefully. What can be done if the model fell ill at such a bad time, and reported it only now.  
Nathalie didn't have time to answer, but she was very confused by her boss's question and the actions that followed. This is an isolated case when Agreste asked to be his model, and at such a crucial moment, the hair ribbon accidentally broke, which under no circumstances should have broken.  
Gabriel quickly corrected the situation, but it didn't get any easier. The woman nodded as usual, assuming the air of an indifferent iron maiden, and slowly removed her jacket, remaining in her favorite red blouse. She could feel the designer's appraising gaze, and it made her uneasy.  
After looking at Nathalie again, the man nodded to himself, then picked up the needle holder, sprinkled with pins, and the cloth, then returned to Nathalie.  
"Please don't move. If you feel uncomfortable, tell me right away," Gabriel said, and held up Natnalie's hands so that he could throw the cloth over the girl. After a moment's thought, he took the ribbon instead of the belt and marked the waist on the probable dress. Then came the magic of drapery. Step by step, Gabriel delivered the incarnation to an unsurpassed masterpiece. It is worth noting that even the creation of folds by means of drapery was not such an easy task and every effort of the designer, despite the fact that there were no decorations or other details on the fabric, left its fruits. This is real art. It was just that the fabric soon became a charming pin-up dress that fit exactly to the figure, miraculously not touching Nathalie's clothes.  
When he finished with the outline of the dress, the man looked at the result and sighed softly. No, something was clearly wrong. But what, so far, was not clear.  
"Take off your blouse, please. I don't want to accidentally pin a fabrique to it, " he said, and went to the table to find the necessary sketch among the papers.  
The woman did not need to make much effort to remain motionless for a long time.  
Take off her blouse? Well, if it helps with the job, can she refuse?  
Most likely, Agreste made a mistake, and Sancouer slowly and as if nothing had happened freed herself from the ordinary turtleneck, baring her upper body. Before this, of course, the lady temporarily got rid of the glasses, putting them aside to prevent deformation.  
The brunette looked up sharply at the fashion designer, who was completely lost in his work and did not notice anything around him. Nathalie never really used makeup, most of it mascara, so that it is not very noticeable.  
Nature has given a woman quite beautiful, classic facial features and today she decided to emphasize them with cosmetics.  
Perfectly defined eyebrows in the shape of a smoothly curved bird's wing. Her eyes were the color of a clear sky, and their shadows were accentuated as if frost had fallen on them from above and below, settling in a remarkable line, the outline of the eye outlined by a thin thread of black eyeliner with a small corner at the end.  
Lips… They are already always attractive, but at that moment, pink lipstick the color of delicate cherry blossoms looked on soft female lips in a special way.  
If only her hair had been left intact, as it had been when she'd arrived in the chief's office, he would have been able to feel the depth of her emotions at the sight of Nathalie's true nature, hidden from view.  
"Monsieur, like this?" modestly whispered velvety voice loyal assistant, striking the imagination created image, but the face reflected confusion and thoughts of the wrongness of what was happening. The unwanted wardrobe item remained in Sanker's frail hand, waiting to rest on an ordinary hanger.  
But today she will become his best creation. A Muse, embodied in the guise of a once modest frenchwoman with a cold surname, but a passionate soul. After finding the rough sketches, the designer looked back at Nathalie, noting the many details and how the light fell on her delicate skin. He just wanted to erase all the makeup from her face, emphasize this slender figure and make her natural beauty brighter, which he would not give away or show to anyone after.  
"Yes, that's it," Gabriel confirmed with casual coldness, and put the clothes on the hangers to one side, returning to the drapery.  
His fingers slid over the smooth fabric, gathering it in the right places and smoothing it out. Even through this light, but dense material, you could easily feel the pleasant warmth of the body, every curve and so interfered with this bra. Unfortunately, Agreste could not afford to ask to remove it, being content with what he had. Each touch sent her heart pounding in a confused Nathalie's chest. She and Gabriel had never been so close in a private setting, but there was still a wall between them called "work," even if it had been the cause of a fateful acquaintance and was undoubtedly part of their circle of interests. As a Hawkmoth, Agreste behaved the same way as now, as if the brunette was a fragile porcelain doll that he did not want to miss, but should not act carelessly. There was a touch of tenderness in every movement of his skilled hands… And in the designer's language the words seemed to be spoken:"I care about you", which only the most stupid person would not have noticed. Sancoeur noticed a palpable tension as the man painstakingly and expertly assembled a beautiful dress from carefully selected fabric. The artist's hands trembled slightly, losing their bearings only for a fraction of a second.

At that moment, there was no one else but both of them. It seemed that the blond man and his gentle assistant were far from the outside world, in a private space accessible only to two.  
Nathalie felt as if the wall was gradually crumbling and it didn't need any loud signs of attention, gifts, names or statuses. After all, everything could only be reported by short touches, staying in a bizarre alphabet. Nevertheless, there was a bright fire that is so hard to stop when you truly love.  
The fabric was gathered in an ornate collar and a deep but quite decent neckline. Another part of the fabric went to the sleeves, which emphasized the delicate and delicate hands of the elegant assistant. The belt was raised a little higher, closer to the ribs, after which Nathalie was lifted by the waist and placed without shoes on a chair. In fact, he would have held her to him and not let go, but he pushed those thoughts away, focusing them on the details and the figure, working with the bottom of this dress, creating a seemingly simple pattern of folds, carefully sliding his fingers along the curves of the body, so as not to mistake where everything should be located in his creation.  
"How do you feel?" the question was more about clothing, but the elder Agreste's state of health was also a concern, as his eyes looked up at the girl until his fingers refused to let go of the hem.  
"As a work of art, " the woman responded to Agreste's question with barely suppressed indifference, concealing in her words not meaningless praise. "Very convenient, Monsieur.  
Deep feelings bloomed in her soul with a new force, making her tremble. But she couldn't let them go and let the moment pass.  
The man nodded at such praise and, having made the necessary hem with pins, lightly slid his hand along the leg, taking the girl under the knees, while the other easily put his arm around her waist, holding her to him and involuntarily almost pressing his face to her stomach and chest, smoothly lowering her in such an embrace.  
The woman floated to the floor, and Gabriel stared into her eyes, still unwilling to let go.  
"Let's get this blank off you.Close your eyes, " he suggested in his usual calm voice, untying the ribbon that served as a belt so that his hands would continue to slide over the soft skin again, freeing it from the fabric with the pins. The dress was removed completely with a slight movement and placed on the coffee table that was just next to it. The young body was covered with lacy underwear of a carmine-red color, comparable to the shade of young wine before bottling. Her firm breasts were hidden behind a bra made of thick fabric with fancy embroidery, and between the cups that supported the assistant's bust was a small bow that complemented the refined image.  
And what a fine and precisely embroidered floral pattern of arabesque silk threads, which was a couple of shades lighter than the main material! Let go of this beautiful body hands did not want, which just made it difficult to decide on anything. Gabriel probably didn't think he'd ever feel that way again. In fact, the woman was not a nondescript blue stocking and knew how to choose beautiful underwear, but she never hoped that such a request would come from Gabriel's lips. If she had anticipated such an event, she would have worn something more modest.  
Leaning down, he lightly touched his lips to hers, holding them unobtrusively in case she wanted to pull away. And she would be right if she ended up decorating the designer's face with her own palm print, but she just might not get a second chance.  
Before Nathalie could react, she met the eyes of Agreste, who was literally dangerously close. For a moment, it seemed that what was happening was a beautiful dream, where the beloved man finally reciprocated and at the moment is not in a hurry to pull away, having committed a fatal action.  
But no. The sensations are too real for the realm of dreams. The long-awaited, warm contact of their lips, preceded by a small discharge of current through the body. The rapid heartbeat made itself felt, the girl felt the heat, without alienating the most desirable person in life. But the sudden realization turned the beautiful tale into the chill of a true nightmare. The pain spread like bitter wine through the soul untouched by vices. The residual effects of the poison weighed on her awareness more heavily. She waited patiently for Gabriel to stop and stop the mutual torment of conscience, if in the depths of his heart Agreste had even a little respect for his wife's memory.  
The air in his chest was sadly gone, and he had to pull back to take a breath. Well, they didn't flinch or even try to fight him off. The man put his arm around Nathalie, pulling her closer to him.  
Looking into her eyes, the man pressed his cheek to hers, so that his lips could just as gently touch her cheekbone, her neck, her shoulder, from which the strap had been removed with a flick of his finger.  
"You can stop me at any time, " he reminded her softly, one arm around her waist, the other sliding down to her hip, smooth and gentle.  
He didn't want her to push him away, but he didn't want to go too far, not while he was just covering her shoulders and neck with kisses, his hands gently stroking her skin. It seems that now you can forget everything that was and is, just giving yourself to such a moment.  
"I'm sorry, Monsieur," she said, pulling away abruptly, breaking the fragile love bond that had formed between them. And at that moment, something invisible disappeared, which caused pain in the chest of the forgotten fashion designer. He stared after her forlornly, studying the beautiful outline of her shoulder blades, then disappearing behind the fabric of her casual clothing. And I felt genuine admiration. The bitterness of despair did not show on the assistant's face, but she was more than ever aware of an invisible barrier in the face of Emily Agreste, the memory of which had been erased under the influence of unsolicited feelings. And while love for her still beats in Gabriel's heart, they will not be able to be happy together.


End file.
